Baby Names and the Meaning of Names

My name is Sharyn, and I’ve always wondered what it means. How can I find out?

People write to us asking about names. They want to find a name for their baby, and they need help. They have a name, and they want to know the meaning of it.

The Open Directory Project, Yahoo Directory, and Google Directory all have sections on baby names that include baby name finders, sites that list the meanings of names, and the sites of some expectant parents who want help from the Web to name their children.

BabyNameAddicts.com has a huge database of names with hundreds of name origins, along with discussion boards, name games, and original names suggested by site visitors.

In terms of the sites devoted to baby names, Babynames.com boasts "one of the most extensive, ethnically diverse databases of names online". It provides a brief note on the meaning of each name, as well.

Even more comprehensive is the Baby Namer, "a world of information on more than 18,000 names to help you choose just the right one for your child." This is an impressive array of name information. Divided up by boys names and girls names, you can search for the meaning behind a particular name, browse listings of thousands of possible names from all over the world, or look through a variety of theme lists from ’most popular’ to categories such as sports figures, television and film, scientists and philosophers, literature, artists and musicians. Each name entry gives pronunciation, nicknames, alternate spellings, popularity, famous namesakes, and possible ’baggage’ that the name carries, such as teasing nicknames.

Behind the Name provides exactly the sort of information the name of the site implies. It includes some interesting features such as "Logical Names for Twins," a list of names for twins based on the idea of using similar linguistic elements for each name -- many of the sets of names are the same word in two different languages.